"People can read about history and when they come to the museum it really brings it to life," Bill Norris, with Wings of the North Museum said. "We know that he (Bush) wrote home to his mother and said that it was so cold in Minnesota that by the time you put on enough clothing to keep you from freezing to death you can barely fly the airplane."

Flags across the country, including at the Minnesota State Capitol, will be flown at half-staff for 30 days in honor of the former president.